Justin Baldoni's motivations for his dramatic image overhaul have been laid bare after his physical and mental well-being were 'severely impacted' by his ongoing legal feud with Blake Lively, sources have revealed.

The father-of-two unveiled a surprising new look last week, shortly after admitting he was 'exhausted' from a year of 'emotional stress.'

While spending time with his children, Maiya and Maxwell, in Hawaii, the Jane the Virgin star showcased his edgy haircut for the first time - a stark contrast from his character in the controversial movie.

Since its release last year, It Ends With Us co-stars Baldoni, 41, and Lively, 37, have been at the center of a scorching legal back and forth.

Now, sources have revealed after struggling with the huge toll on his physical and mental health, Baldoni was prompted to make big changes.

'Justin's physical and mental well-being was severely impacted by this,' an insider told DailyMail.com. 'It is extremely disturbing for him to look at photos of himself from last summer when all of this was going on.'

They noted that the Five Feet Apart director hadn't realized the impact the situation was having until he looked back at images from last year.

'He spent endless hours on this project, and for it to end this way really caused him a great deal of pain,' the source continued.

'He lost weight, struggled with poor eating and sleeping habits, and became severely depressed, constantly having to defend himself against false accusations. 

'Losing his jobs and watching his career fall apart pushed him into a very dark place.'

Though his legal woes are far from over, the source said having his side of the story out in the open offered him a slither of hope.

'Things began to take a turn when the truth started to come to light,' the insider said. 'In response, Justin decided to leave LA and take his family to Hawaii for an extended stay. Being there, he has reconnected with his true self and is now in physical, mental, and spiritual harmony.'

In fact, Baldoni couldn't be happier with his appearance.

'He loves the way he looks now, and he knows this will benefit him when this is over, and he begins auditioning for roles again,' they continued. 'Justin is working through all of this and is very confident that, in the end, justice will prevail.'

Another insider claimed Baldoni's family has been a huge source of motivation throughout the turbulent saga.

'The lawsuit has served to reinforce how important family is', they said. 'He can't allow this to consume him and impact his wife and children.

'Emily has been his rock so the least he can do is be equally great to her and their kids. He is putting his health and family first.'

The actor's woes kicked off last Fall when speculation of a feud between him and Lively began to make waves online. 

Lively was the first to file to sue in December, alleging sexual harassment and that Baldoni ordered a 'smear campaign' against her due to tensions on the set of the domestic violence drama.

Baldoni retaliated with a $400 million defamation case against Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds, 48, as well as the New York Times, which ran a lengthy article about her claims.

Both Lively and Baldoni have denied each others claims, and the New York Times has denied Baldoni's accusations and requested that his lawsuit against the paper be dismissed. 

Last week, Reynolds filed a motion to be dismissed from the actor's defamation lawsuit. 

In his legal request, Reynolds described himself as a 'supportive spouse who has witnessed firsthand the emotional, reputational and financial devastation' Lively endured. 

He also claimed in his court paper that Baldoni was attempting to 'shame' him for being 'the kind of man who is confident enough to listen to the woman in his life and stand with her.'

Reynolds is seeking dismissal with prejudice, which would bar Baldoni from re-filing the suit in the future.  

Opening up about his mental health in a podcast filmed last November, Baldoni told Gent's Talk that he had been under a lot of 'emotional stress.'

He recalled messaging his best friend Jamey Heath - who is the president of their production company, Wayfarer Studios - to tell him about his 'anxiety' and burnout.

'I told them that I wasn't in the best place,' he said. 'I told them that I was exhausted, that I haven't given myself time to recover or time to heal. I had an intense year — a lot of material success and a lot of emotional stress. It was very hard on me and my family.'

Taking time to self-reflect, he also discussed falling short, acknowledging he was 'a work in progress'.

Baldoni claimed he has always strived to be 'radically sincere and authentic.' 'I can get lost in the same way that everybody gets lost, but healing isn't linear,' he said.

It Ends with Us was a box-office hit, earning $351 million worldwide despite a $25 million budget.

Based on the best-selling novel by Colleen Hoover, no update has been made about an adaptation of the sequel, It Starts with Us.